Darkness Falls Over the Village of Shadows
by Visions of the Sun
Summary: Nightmare has a dream of absolute domination. Naruto has a dream of becoming the most powerful shinobi in the world. This is an epic tale of how those two dreams collide and clash to create a world the likes of which none has ever seen. Being Rewritten
1. Prologue: A nightmare is born

Prologue

Nightmare sat on a hill overlooking his village. His dark gaze swept across the houses dark against the moonlight. His thoughts were bent on a fitting name for this place, a place that would forever lack the light of the sun. A place that had not been seen for many ages, in fact had not been seen in the world since the dark ages, a time in which beasts of the underworld roamed the earth. Ah, that had been a time of luxury when he and his master had ruled over all. It was only at times such as these when he had completed a labor, did he allow himself a few moments of reminiscence of the glory days… and their end.

'Fool' he thought, and whether this muttered word was an admonishment to himself or another it was hard to tell. He and his master had become lax in their vigilance. They had lost their power through arrogance and the power of others. However, this wouldn't happen again, things would be very different this time around. They would use their cunning and wits to destroy all who opposed them.

Bringing his vengeful thoughts to an end Nightmare stood up and and with a maniacal light gleaming in his eyes stretched out his massive right hand towards the village, in it was a sword like no other, it was black as night itself, red veins ran along it from the tip of the blade to the blood red eye on the hilt. He admired this new incarnation with a great deal of satisfaction, he was particularly fond of this blade. Then, without further prolonging a duty that could not be ignored commanded in a voice filled with demonic power: **"Bones, blood, death and decay take these things and make them whole, the hounds of Kor, Nor, and Lay."**

Out of the shadows of every doorway, every cellar, every store room, and every corner of the village white shadows played across the walls, windows and doors, flowed like drifting dust towards that terrible voice. They were the spirits of the dead. The empty souls that nightmare had left in his wake upon ravaging this village and naming it his own.

Nightmare chuckled. He could never understand the effect Soul Edge had on the souls of the dead. But he knew without a doubt that they would enhance his power, and that of soul edge and with their help he would awaken first the hounds… and then the master.

As the spirits drew near, he thrust the sword into the ground whispering "**feed**". The sword turned to shadow and darkness except for that red eye and began to spread out and swallow the light of the spirits still seeping out of window and wall. Each time a soul was taken by soul edge, the red eye grew a deeper shade of red. As it took in the last soul the sword's eye burned with a hellish fire and shook in every direction as if it were laughing. At what or whom, Nightmare could never have guessed.

Job concluded, the sword became corporeal once more and sunk into Nightmare's shadow. Nightmare muttered to himself as he turned away heading for the center of the village. There were more souls to consume. It was time to begin building his empire. He knew the hounds must be the first to awaken. This he knew would not be the most simple of things to do however. With his master beside him he had been able to awaken them in a month, Therein lay the problem, with his master this task was an easy matter but it would take him many long and irritating years to awaken the hounds. Once they were awake he would begin the unchaining of his master. That was the endgame of course, for once he and his master ruled once again. They would never, ever let go.

Nightmare, thinking these dark thoughts sat down, soul edge once again in his grasp and across his knees, it's power radiated around him and he closed his eyes. The world turned to dark and the ground began to shake as the feeling that only the presence of evil brings stirred the air. Then, nightmare opened his eyes… and both his eyes and his world, went, black.

The name of this den of evil is the Village Hidden in the Shadows…


	2. Demotion

Chapter One

Naruto Uzumaki the youngest ANBU since Itachi Uchiha strode purposefully towards the hokage's building in the center of the village. Men and women looked at him in equal amount's hatred and fear, they knew his nickname among the ANBU black ops "Wraith" Konoha's Wraith he was known as, for two very good reasons, first, when he fought those who saw didn't exactly remember where he was at any real point in time he flowed from one place to another with such grace, using natural movement as cover, the shadow of swaying trees, even tall grass was enough for him to vanish into without ever using chakra. Second, as an ANBU he wore an animal mask only this mask was unlike any other it was a fox and had a silvery sheen that seemed not reflect light but absorb it. It was both beautiful and deadly. Naruto reached the building and went up the stairs he brushed by the guards at the top of them and went through the door to the hokage's office.

Sarutobi looked up as Naruto came in the door, Naruto stood directly in front of the desk and saluted, "Mission successful sir!" he said. He stood as a soldier, his arms at his sides, his head held high and his heels together.

Sarutobi sighed "Naruto, can you just once be normal and talk to me as a friend like you used to?" looking at that mask was giving him a headache. Where he got the material from he didn't know but it was very intimidating.

Naruto shook his head "negative, I am an ANBU, the ANBU were created to protect the hokage I can not be efficiently ready if I am idly talking." He was proud of his station and wasn't about to lose it because he got lazy.

Sarutobi rolled his eyes 'this is getting out of hand' he thought. It had gone from bad to worse with Naruto since entering the ANBU he was becoming one with that mask of his, he never took it off anymore. With that thought in mind he decided that there was nothing for it, he was going to have to go with plan B, "alright, then as of now you are dismissed from the ANBU, you are demoted to jounin"

Naruto gaped at the old man from behind his mask and because of this Sarutobi could not see the horror and pain on his face. "W-w-w- what!" he yelled becoming for a moment the boy of twelve that he was, I worked hard for this w-why now? What have I done to deserve this!" Then, resuming his stoic expression he said "Demotion accepted apologies for my outburst it was unseemly, what would you have me do now."

Sarutobi knew what he had just done, he had just destroyed years and years of training for the black ops team he commanded. But damn it all he could not just sit and let the son he never had turn himself into an uncaring monster that could not feel pain, fear, love, nor any other emotion. He had seen it before in others of the black ops, they looked like the dead only killing, killing , killing, never stopping he would not let that happen to Naruto. He steeled himself and said with as much authority as he could muster: "Go to the ANBU barracks and hang up your mask say your goodbyes to your team if you must now dismissed!"

Naruto turned around and disappeared he did not use shunshin, he was just gone. Sarutobi sighed 'I'm sorry Naruto' he thought and went back to work.

**(The ANBU barracks)**

Naruto was cold, he felt… numb, as if he had just been given anesthetic his dream was crumbling around his ears. He strode past the other ANBU as if he were still their commander. He stepped into his team's room and they all turned to him: snake aka Anko Mitarashi, wolf aka Hatake Kakashi, and rat aka Sai. Sai was part of the ANBU root division but befriended Naruto after transferring to the ANBU black ops division on Danzou's orders. Kakashi was this same teams captain until he began to see that Naruto was surpassing him, because of that he submitted a request that he be given command. Anko was just along for the ride. As Naruto entered, so much killing intent filled the room that even Anko could barely breath, they had never, _ever,_ felt this much ki from their leader and for the first time in their lives they felt that it was a mistake putting this child in the ANBU so young. They felt heavy with the killing intent as though they were being dragged down. Through the cold Naruto whispered: "I… have just been demoted… I am now a jounin I must hang up my mask and uniform, I am no longer your commander."

Kakashi couldn't believe his ears, Naruto was one of the best if not _the _best shinobi in the village why would the hokage suddenly want to let him go. He would have to investigate into this and find some answers.

Naruto looked at each of them in turn as if for the first time and then looked out of there window at the village "after four years we have become the strongest team in the village. I do not understand the reasons of this demotion but this will not stop me from becoming stronger then even the hokage" he said this with not a hint of anything in his voice it was dead. With that he turned to the door of the changing rooms and disappeared.

Anko looked around at the other two and said "well that was surprising what the hell do you think the old man is doing taking him from the black ops?" she was extremely puzzled she was slightly resentful of her captain at first since he became a captain faster then she became and ANBU but then had gotten used to it. Then after she had gotten used to it she saw him fight and was in awe of him, she began to believe right then and there that he might possibly be the one to help her get revenge on Orochimaru.

Sai stayed silent he had no idea why the hokage would take away his best ANBU, it didn't make sense. He knew that before Naruto was an ANBU captain he was much more jovial and now that he thought of it he had not seen his friend and captain smile in half-a-year ever since he became captain and began wearing a different mask to signify becoming captain. "I believe the hokage has an ulterior motive for demoting Naruto, have you noticed that he has become more abrupt in his speaking? He seems to be becoming more of a primal being with only instincts. We haven't noticed because we're around him so often. But now that I think about it have you noticed the way he looks when he kills?" they sat there trying to remember when the last time they saw Naruto kill someone was. And then it hit them, like a bolt of lightning they remembered something that they had passed off as their imagination as he assassinated a bandit warlord trying to build an army.

(flashback)

_It was raining as the four figures raced through the trees they were in diamond formation with Naruto at the front, Anko to the right, Sai to the left and Kakashi taking rear guard. This was their most effective formation and it had gotten them out of extremely difficult places before. "Sai, Send scouts ahead." said Naruto._

_Quickly Sai unrolled his scroll and sent his spies of ink in front of them. Fifteen minutes later they were heading towards the bandit camp. When they got there Naruto went over the plan of attack: "Sai, you will create a distraction with your beasts in the front" Sai nodded his agreement, " Anko, you will circle around and do the same at the back, their main forces will then be split. Kakashi your with me got it?" everyone nodded "good let's go"_

_The battle plan was perfectly executed the bandits were completely decimated and when Anko and Sai came to the middle tent they found the warlord trying to buy Naruto off, offering him wealth, woman and everything else under the sun. It didn't work. Naruto took two steps forward and decapitated him. Through the spray of blood you could here barely audible soft laughter._

(end flashback)

They now understood Sarutobi's plans they had to get Naruto off the field before he became his nickname… a wraith something between dead and alive, something without emotions of any kind. Naruto came out of the changing room just at that moment and looked at their shocked expressions, "I will leave you now, good fortune favor you on your missions to come." He said as he walked over to some hangers on the wall and hung up his uniform. About to hang up his mask as well he stopped, he looked at it and muttered to himself in a far off voice "this will remind me of my days here and the days training from dawn till dusk to get to this point, it will remind me of my failure as ANBU and to train to overcome that obstacle." With that he slipped the mask back on and disappeared through the door without saying goodbye.

**(****Two weeks later****)**

Many things had happened in the two weeks following the dismissal of one known as the Wraith from the ANBU black ops. First of all Kakashi, Anko, and Sai had resigned after working as a team for four years. Adapting to a new teammate was extremely stressing. Finally after arguing for the tenth time on which way to go they had enough and resigned to the post of jounin hoping to see Naruto again. Unfortunately for them Naruto had requested a long term mission that would last a couple of weeks the day after being demoted. Now they found themselves inside the hokage's office along with Kurenai, and Asuma, the reason for being there were the two academy student that lay within the crystal orb on the desk in front of the hokage.

"Tomorrow as you know is the genin exam and in it will be the Huuga heiress and the last Uchiha. Hiashi has requested for them to be put together as they work better with each other then anyone else. The problem lies in the fact that we have never put the two best students on the same team since it over-balances them." Everyone in the room nodded their heads in agreement the old man continued "I have decided that this will be an experiment to see if this arrangement will work. Can anyone think of a third member? He or she needs to have a calm head since the Uchiha, is hotheaded and the Huuga is very critical of everything involving authority."

Kurenai stood up "I vote it be Talim, she is calm at all times, curious and above all deadly with those blades of hers. We should be grateful her family moved here before she was eight so she could enroll in our academy. I don't know if it is a family bloodline or her training but she is as fast as a chunin with those blades." she stated this calmly and, sure of herself, sat back down.

"Thank you Kurenai, does anyone have an objection?" no one answered "Talim it shall be then." Now as to who will be the team leader I believe Kakashi should be the one to take this team as it will have the Uchiha and ultimately the sharingan. However I have a very experimental issue that I would like to put forth." Everyone in the room suddenly sat up and took interest, Kakashi set his book down, Asuma stopped smoking, Anko stopped thinking on whether or not it would be worth it to have a snake eat Kakashi's little orange book. When the renowned Professor said _he _was going to experiment, then it would have to be something big. When Sarutobi had everyone's attention he said: "Yes I am going to experiment with making two jounins leaders of the same team."

As the words left his mouth there was absolute silence. Finally after several minutes Sai spoke up: "Who will be the two jounins?" he asked.

The old man started to sweat 'and here is the hard part' he thought to himself as he said "Kakashi will be one, the other will be… Naruto." Again there was silence except for a choking sound coming from Asuma who had just swallowed a piece of his cigarette that he bit off in his surprise.

Then something happened none of them expected. Naruto himself stepped out of the shadows and went to stand in front of the hokage saying as he did so: "I accept this mission hokage-sama when shall I be ready?"

Kakashi for a moment had trouble deciding which to do first laugh hysterically or grimace in fear of what was to come. He knew that if Naruto was given fresh genins he Kakashi would have his hands full just trying to keep them alive. Not from any evil intent from Naruto but Naruto's nature told him to train, train, and train some more until he dropped which was usually about five hours after he started at a non-stop pace as he was directed to do from a very young age. He finally decided to compromise and split the two into a nervous laugh which ended in silence a few seconds later.

Sarutobi was surprised. Here he had thought he would have to coax Naruto into accepting the mission. Now Naruto was awaiting instructions, with that thrice-damned mask on that hid everythi… then something clicked inside his head, the mask! Quickly he stood up and with his deepest "hokage voice" said: "Naruto you have been demoted to jounin remove the mask!"

Everyone looked at him in surprise especially Naruto, who could not for the life of him figure out why the old man was acting like this. However even though he was disobeying a command from his hokage he kept the mask on. He felt deeply attached to his mask. He had found it on one of the ANBU assassinations of a corrupt and powerful merchant. It was in a box in the corner of a warehouse hidden behind two great statues from across the sea. "I do not understand Hokage-sama, does Kakashi-san who is also a jounin not wear a mask?"

Sarutobi grimaced, he had forgotten about that, Kakashi had had that mask on so long that it had become part of him, something like a nose, you never saw one without the other. It was time to draw from his bullcrap files "Naruto, Kakashi is a special case that I allow because it is necessary there are secrets that should not come out even in one's own village" he was sweating as he said this hoping the sharp boy would accept this tale. Apparently he did.

Naruto slowly reached up and just as slowly slid off the mask. Everyone took a step back. Naruto's eyes were not the cerulean blue they had been two weeks ago. They were silver, but not nice shiny silver. They were dead, emotionless… cold as ice.


	3. Wraith

Disclaimer: Once again I do not own Naruto or Soul Calibur all original characters are mine though.

Sorry about the delay to those who have been reading this story, as much as we wish it not to be, real life takes priority… darn. And now onward!

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Chapter 3

The hokage stared at those cold eyes and couldn't help shuddering. These eyes were not natural. Finally he spoke up, "Naruto where did you get that mask?" he asked.

Everyone held their breath in anticipation of the answer. Naruto looked around slowly not understanding but not really caring why they all looked so frightened. He spoke at last saying in an emotionless voice "I got it on an assassination when I was still under Hatake Kakashi"

Kakashi winced he was not used to such a voice from Naruto it was the voice of someone suppressing something under many barriers. He walked forward a little and put his hand on Naruto's shoulder which was rigid and straight. "Hokage-sama I must ask for myself and everyone here what is going on?"

Naruto was wearing a questioning look as well as everyone else in the room. The hokage looked up into Naruto's eyes and found them… normal, azure blue once again. He sighed "Nevermind, we shall continue assigning gennin teams. Kakashi! Naruto!" he said abruptly "do you agree to work with each other as team leaders of team seven which includes Uchiha Sasuke, Huuga Hinata, and Anarika Talim?"

Kakashi stood to attention as did Naruto both exclaiming "Hai!" they sat down next to each other under a big number 7 set up in the corner of the office.

Sarutobi then looked to his left at his son and asked him in his "Hokage" voice "do you Sarutobi Asuma take team ten including Akimichi Chouji, Nara Shikamaru, and Yamanaka Ino?"

Asuma stood up and agreed. He then went to sit down under the big number 10 in another corner of the room.

The old man shuffled some papers around looked up, finally saying "Yuhi Kurenai! Do you agree to take team eight which includes Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba, and Haruno Sakura?"

Kurenai stood up, agreed and went to sit down under the number 8 watching everyone with her big red eyes.

Anko and Sai had been watching all of this with interest and impatience… well _Anko _was impatient. Sai was shifting from foot to foot thinking of the way Sarutobi looked when he saw Naruto's eyes, shock? Fear? He didn't know. All he knew was that this was something he would need to investigate into.

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(Later that day)

Naruto breathed deeply. It had been a more difficult training period then he had ever had before if you could call it that. Behind him were tree's uprooted, rocks shattered and earth overturned across the whole training field called the forest of death. He himself had come out unscathed… almost. He had thin slices all over his body a testament to his stupidity. He felt the adrenaline still pumping through his veins as he wondered just what had made him decide to summon a thousand shadow clones and then think he could actually beat them?... He did of course, if he committed to a fight he wouldn't leave it until his enemies were dead, but this was just ridiculous. The strange thing was in his mind was the fact that he couldn't remember how he came to that idiotic decision, the last thing he remembered was himself walking towards the forest of death think of training some before he was assigned to a Genin team and consequently being tied down. And then… nothing until he realized he was being attacked by a thousand of himself all with an equal amount of chakra… a daunting task even for him. He was still puzzling over this when he heard a voice that he hadn't heard in a week.

"Hello Naruto" Naruto turned around to find Kakashi standing next to him.

'Lax of me to let him get so close, and not sense him.' He thought to himself, training is what he lived for, if he couldn't even sense Kakashi then he was becoming dull indeed when he was an ANBU captain he would not miss a single movement made by his team or the enemy whichever came first. 'And that's your problem, you are not an ANBU any longer you are only a jounin you don't have to be as aware as you were then' that little voice that always loved it when he failed in something spoke up in the back of his mind.

Kakashi watched Naruto and contemplated his friend. Naruto was not the most lovable of people but once you earned his trust then he would go to the worlds end for you if you were in trouble. He was a six foot monster of a boy 'yes, boy,' he thought to himself, Naruto was only twelve years old not even in his teens and yet he was as strong as the hokage when angered. He was the Kyuubi container and yet never ever let the fox take control, Naruto was always in utter control even when angry. His face had lost the baby fat from hard physical training, his eyes were slightly feral as were the marks on each cheek he lean and stronger then he looked he was not built up at all he was lithe to perfection. His clothing was not black as they were in the ANBU they were instead silver shinobi pants and armor. Over which was a cloak that had a silver and green pattern that broke up his shape in a way that made it impossible to keep your eyes on him for long periods of time.

Usually if Naruto was tired of your presence you wouldn't even know he was gone. He would just vanish. Absolutely no one knew how he found out all of this but they didn't question it either, Naruto had shown more enemy shinobi oblivion then many did in a lifetime and he had never, not once gotten a scratch for his trouble. He had disappeared for several months quite a few years back and when he returned he had on his cloak and clothes underneath that was when the began caling him by his nickname. The Wraith of Konoha an assassin of the highest order. Naruto was never exactly outgoing but for a while he and his team chatted and went out drinking every once and awhile and he would laugh and joke with the rest of them. Until the assassination when he found the mask.

"Naruto? Why do you like that mask so much?" Kakashi had to know.

"I enjoy wearing it and it is useful, there is an air purifier installed in the mouth piece, there is a jutsu placed on the eye pieces to zoom into things many yards away, And finally it seems to be indestructible." Naruto's reasons were valid, anyone who was a shinobi would covet those resources.

Letting the mask conversation drop Kakashi changed his course: "Are you ready for the genin exam tomorrow I plan on using my bell test to see if…"

"No!" Naruto cut Kakashi off: "We will fight them in a training field of their choice, they will be given two goals if they complete either one they pass" Naruto walked over to a tree and leaned against it: "First, if they scratch either of us while we fight at a quarter power they pass. Second, if they can eat a meal they pass"

Kakashi stared at Naruto as he gawped in astonishment at this crazy idea. "They will all just choose the meal!" He couldn't believe that the Wraith would think up such an insane idea he knew Naruto was smart he could think up a battle plan in an instant but this seemed ludicrous.

"Who said they would be allowed to eat in peace whenever they go to take a bite, we will be there to make sure they do not. They will be so frustrated that they will want to fight and probably actually be in the mindset to actually kill us since we will have deprived them of food one of the basic animal needs." Naruto was watching Kakashi as he laid out his plans of getting the genin to be what they needed to be… Assassins.

Kakashi was stunned, it was so round-a-bout, but Naruto was right. If they just said to fight them then they would only be half-hearted as the academy would not have taught them the more evil side of their profession. If, however Kakshi and Naruto told them not to eat lunch or dinner OR breakfast that morning then they would be extremely hungry. Especially the two clan heirs who had never seen a hard day of hunger if they with-held food from them then they would be in the mood to kill indeed. Also if they implemented his plan and they failed then the council would most likely make them separate as the experiment of the hokage did not work.

After thinking about all of this he finally spoke up saying: "Your right, that's what we'll do, good idea Naruto." Kakashi was now wishing he had thought of it before Naruto did.

"I am in need of rest Kakashi I will retire until tomorrow, you _will _be at the academy at _exactly _one-o-clock or your backside will be in very much pain if you take my meaning" Naruto said with a smirk. Not many knew it but the 1000 years of pain jutsu that Kakashi liked to use on gennin so much came from a younger and more playful Naruto who used it on Kakashi at the start of ANBU training.

Kakashi winced, that memory was embarrassing. He did not wish to reconstruct it. He quickly agreed to be on time and left leaving Naruto to make his way back to the forest of death where he spent his nights alone.

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Authors Notes:

Yeah, short I know but remember I'm a new person so I need some slack =P. Sorry again to all the people who are actually reading this story for the wait I hope to start updating once a week but like I said before, real life takes priority. Now onto my writing I find myself deleting and rewriting my chapters because the flow isn't quite how I want it if you guys know anyone who is a beta reader, or if you are a beta reader, and you would be interested in being a beta for this story then by all means send me a message. I just don't feel like running around creation looking for someone to beta this story and then find out they don't want to. So anywho, please review, give me some criticism! I need to know what I am doing wrong/right. See ya later.


	4. A New Life

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Soul Calibur or Naruto

Authors note: Wow! So much has happened between the last chapter and this that I am again taking forever to update. First my file gets corrupted, then when I finally get it written out again my computer croaks and I am left with no way to write at all! By the way you may have been confused by the chapter 1 to chapter 3… don't be! I made a typo always irritating but not life threatening. Anywho, Onward!

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(the real) Chapter 3

Huuga Hinata was in her seat at the academy listening to Iruka, their sensei, give them the whole "you need to focus during your exam" lecture. In her opinion, it was absolutely pointless. Most of the idiots in this class would pass because of their clan training. Oh yes, she knew that like herself most of the clans trained their children early especially the heirs and there were quite a few of them. She was not a shy girl not in any sense of the word, she prided herself on her intellect, her strength, and her tendency of never backing down to anyone, other then her father… he, she would defer to at any moment. Even the council could not touch her, that was one of the perks to being the daughter of the Huuga clan head. She looked around again looking at the few kids that were not from a clan.

'Talim is smart, strong and fast she'll make it no problem, Sakura is book-smart that's about it, she'll maybe pass, she might squeak by because she'll have control of her tiny chakra capacity' just as Hinata had that thought Sakura flew over to Sasuke wailing in that banshee shriek.

"Sasuke-kun! Can we go out after we pass and get something to eat?" She was wriggling in excitement thinking that because this was a special day that she might be able to make a better pass at her love. Sasuke looked up and gave an abrupt "no" and then went back to staring into the distance.

Hinata snorted in derision: 'maybe not' she thought with disgust. She turned her head to her first candidate for her unnoticed inspection and found Talim sharpening her swords lovingly. "Oh yes she will be very good" Hinata was impressed with this girl that had come to the village when she was seven and had been accepted although not entirely there were still some who questioned their answers to where they came from. Hinata herself had nothing against the strong girl and actually hoped to be put on a team with her: "She won't slow me down in the least" she thought.

Finally it was her turn to show off her "skills" that she was taught at the academy.

"As if you could actually call a Bunshin a real skill." She thought with a laugh, yes she could laugh. She was critical not cold.

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(After the exams)

"Alright, you have all passed" Iruka told the class, in Hinata's opinion he looked very eager to get this done with so he could go and relax at the hot springs.

"I will now assign the teams" he said, "Team seven! Anarika Talim, Sasuke Uchiha, and Huuga Hinata. Your team leaders are Hatake Kakashi, and Uzumaki Naruto."

Did she just hear correctly! She like everyone in the room were shocked at this piece of information. Team Leaders… plural? This had never been done before. She wondered who the second one was. She had heard of Kakashi, nearly everyone in the village had. He was infamous for being late to everything by at least two hours! She sat back with a huff this was going to be a long wait, at least she was on the same team as Talim, she didn't know about Sasuke yet but he seemed a decent hand with weapons.

Sasuke was grateful and slightly daunted all at once. The only two students to beat him were his teammates. Plus, the only other one with the sharingan was to be his sensei, the Copycat himself. He had never heard of this Uzumaki Naruto before, he must be some new jounin learning the ropes, it didn't matter he would soon become stronger then anyone here, Uzumaki would respect him soon enough. He shifted in his seat looking at Hinata and Talim, and they would most certainly not get in his way.

Talim was a quiet girl. She knew when to speak up and when to keep silent, she knew how to listen and observe, and best of all she knew how to fight. She was deadly with her two swords and she knew it. 'I can't let that go to my head though' she thought to herself 'There are plenty of people stronger then I am I just have to remember that.' She was very glad to be on Hinata's team, she had noticed the other girls' skill when she first came to the academy, and since then they had trained together on several occasions, but were not what you would call friends. Sasuke was a jerk and nothing else. When she had first entered the academy she had seen him with his arrogant smile and his clan training beating everybody in class for knowledge with that puffed up attitude and hated him since. Yes his family's massacre had been horrendous but that didn't give him the right to ignore everyone and everything around him! She groaned in despair.

'Am I really going to have to spend the next few years in contact with this idiot' She thought to herself. 'This is going to be interesting and that is for sure, I might as well make the best of it'. With this thought she sat back in her seat to wait for her sensei's to arrive.

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It was about five minutes after everyone else had been picked up, and Hinata was just about to go to sleep and wait on Kakashi when she heard the sliding door open.

In walked a man that had a tower of silver hair spiking from his scalp, he wore the standard jounin vest and had an aura of laziness about him as if it took all he had to get up in the morning. He looked at them all and said in a slow lazy drawl.

"So, your team seven" it was not a question, so they didn't answer, he went on: "My first thought when I look at you is… slow. Slow in mind, body, and chakra. I will meet you on the roof in thirty seconds if you are there before that I will take you to dinner, if you are not I will let you have one-hundred push-ups each your time starts… now!"

As he said the word "now" Hinata jumped out of her seat raced to the window and jumped to the huge tree outside that went up to the roof. She had used this route before and it served her well. She raced up it not wanting to do those push-ups, she had had enough of those training at the Huuga complex. As she reached the roof she saw Kakashi sitting talking to a silver clad figure with a mask. She skidded to a stop just as Talim came soaring over the roof edge, her swords out and wind whipping around her as she landed gracefully on the roof.

"Show off" muttered Hinata, even though she knew that she could never do that, it was in Talim's family and that's where it would stay. That family had a way with the wind that even baffled the hokage, it was uncanny how the wind shaped itself to the Anarika's swords and let them show feats of skill that were only defeated by the most experienced jounins. Their downfall was by the fact that if someone took away their swords they were left nearly helpless. That is why Talim entered the academy.

"What!" Hinata turned to the door to the rest of the building to see a panting Sasuke looking at Talim and herself.

"How did you get here before me?" He looked like he had just climbed every stair in the building to reach the roof which he probably had. Hinata snorted. "We climbed, you idiot" she could get to actually insult him in the presence of teachers without him challenging her to a fight. Not that she was afraid of fighting him nothing was farther from the truth she just liked being able to insult him and be off the hook.

Sasuke glared at her and was about to yell something at her when he was interrupted by the silver clad figure that was sitting and watching them with that dark silver mask on.

"There is a reason you all gathered here." He said it in an altered baritone. Hinata guessed the mask had the voice changer in it.

The man continued in that baritone voice that sent shivers down her spine. There was something eerie in that voice something that was out of the ordinary something dark and despairing as if it had seen many sufferings. "Is because you want to become the best shinobi you can be? Correct?" he asked this in a world weary voice as if he had heard it all before.

This was when Sasuke spoke up "No, I want to become stronger than any S-rank shinobi, and I _am_ going to be stronger then you whoever you are" Hinata couldn't believe him, he was smirking, _smirking_, at an unknown threat that could be more powerful then Kakashi though she doubted that.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto was not impressed, this boy was weak as weak as they could come he knew people like that who covered their own weakness behind a shield of words and flashy moves. For a moment he felt pity for Sasuke but then brushed it away 'I have my own dream to fulfill I cannot take up any more of my time trying to teach this one boy to be that which he should already be... a shinobi.' He turned to look at the two girls sizing him up 'interesting they see an opponent not a sensei, very good these two are on their way to becoming fine kunoichi they will go far but not as far as myself.' These girls and this boy would soon understand the world of the shinobi or he would never let them out of his grasp and what a grasp it would be. He would hold these three in an iron hold, 'they will become the strongest genins in the village that I will ensure they will curse me and hate me but they shall become the best under me.' He knew Kakashi would be against this course of action but he would come around one way or another. Finally he spoke to the audience before him.

"Under me you will become fast, strong, cunning… deadly." He crooned the last word as if it was a child to be put to bed. Kakashi frowned not liking the sound of this at all. "You will learn how to command an army if in the future you are tasked with this duty, you will learn how to become one with the wind and shadows. You will learn the art of silence…" Here he looked at Sasuke and away again continuing: "… and death" Naruto was enjoying himself very much if there was one thing he liked more than training it was training others to be the best they could be. "If you leave here with anything, then it will be in the conviction that you will surpass all the chunnins by the next year that I promise you."

Hinata was starting to get a little worried 'Stronger than any chunnins? Even my father never asked that much, this guy is going to work us hard for this.' That was when she saw a glint in those eyes behind the mask that sent chills running up and down her spine, she listened as he went on.

"Meet me and Kakashi on any training ground tomorrow at five' o clock in the morning… Be ready for pain" It was just the barest of whispers but they all picked up on it and shivered she just knew that by next year she would be wondering why she ever became a shinobi.

AN: Huh is my story not good? Is my story good? I don't know. The reason…? No reviews! Really, truly, I do not know if I should go on without a beta since I don't know whether it is good enough, if you haven't noticed by now I have slight confidence issues I see all these stories that have at least fifty reviews and I want to scream when I see my one (thank you nwspor). And if you remember "One is the loneliest number that you'll ever see" so why don't ya'll give it some company. Oh and by the way, I will never abandon this story. If I have to take a break I will give you all due warning.


	5. Tests

Disclaimer: Don't own, never will, please don't sue, have no money T_T

a/n: First of all, thank you NoLifeKing666 for your review, it helped me to write this chapter. I will try and address some of your issues that are probably others' as well. Pairings, the reason I have not let any pairing known as of yet is because frankly the story hasn't told me who they are yet. _If _a harem is required in this story it shall be in the story, _if _it turns out to be a NaruXHina it will. But the flow of the story is important to me so if neither of these let the story continue I will not do it. I have been thinking about this story for several years now and I will write it as it writes itself (if that makes any sense at all =P). I will tell you this however, definitely don't give up on anything in my story, it is going have many twists and turns so just hang in there. Now onward!

Chapter 4, Tests

Naruto awoke from meditation at six-o-clock in the morning in a cheerful mood, or as cheerful as he could be as a jounin. He grinned as the thought of the genin he was going to tort… train, waking up and trying to get ready made him feel a little better about his new and frustrating rank. He jumped up onto his feet from where he was sitting in the grass in training ground seven.

'Only fitting' he thought to himself as he stretched out. The best way to make certain they didn't get there before him was to be there already. He was almost certain that the Anarika, or the Huuga would try and be there early and show that they were more than a match for him. He quickly made a hundred kage bunshin, and had them sit in the other training grounds or patrol the area between.

Sure enough, about ten minutes after he sent his kage bunshin the Huuga and the Anarika came walking through the bushes of training ground seven, making enough noise to send birds and animals running or flying away.

As they neared he began picking up parts of their conversation. And so, seeing as he was very well concealed at the moment he sat down and listened hoping to hear something to use against them later

"Arrg! Are you sure he didn't mention which training ground we were training in?" Talim was nearing her boiling point and she didn't like it one bit. She and Hinata had promised each other last night to wake whoever was still asleep before dawn and exchanged address' so they could get to the training grounds before the teachers. She was now regretting that decision, they had been tramping through training ground after training ground trying to find where they were to train, because once they started out they realized they had no clue where to go. So here they were tromping through yet another training ground for the second time.

"There is nothing we can do right now so let's just sit down and wait for somebody to get here, Uzumaki did say pick any training ground right?" Hinata was not in such a chipper mood either, but she knew how to hide her frustration better then Talim did.

'You don't grow up as a Huuga main branch without knowing how to hide your feelings' she thought to herself.

"Right, it's settled then we are not going too anymore training grounds, he will have to come to us!" Talim was quite happy with this resolution and plunked herself down under a tree… only to jump up with a shout. "Ow! What was that?" she turned to look at what she sat on, and found a kunai stuck handle first in the ground with only about a quarter of an inch of blade sticking out.

"What crazy fool left their kunai in the ground like this?" She dug the weapon out of the ground and inspected it. She rubbed the spot that was starting to get sore where she had sat on it when she suddenly heard a muffled sound coming from behind her. When she turned around there was Hinata red in the face and trying to stifle her laughter at the expense of her teammate.

What? You think it's funny? You sit on a kunai and see if you're not sore." She huffed, looked around and sat down in a non-kunai area… and screamed jumping to her feet!

"What the hell! I checked the ground, did you see anything Hinata?" she turned to look at Hinata only to see her Byakugan active and searching the area.

Hinata knew that something_ that_ stupid occurring twice in a row was unlikely to be a coincidence, she finally found what she was looking for, somebody, was watching them only about fifteen feet away. She turned off her doujutsu and saw… nothing, she scanned the area not understanding how this person could be invisible. She felt a tap on the shoulder.

"Looking for something" she heard a disturbingly familiar voice say. She slowly turned around to see Uzumaki Naruto standing right behind her. She did not like the look in his eyes behind the mask, he glanced down to his hand and she followed the movement to see a kunai, the tip placed at heart level. She tried to jump away but found his other hand suddenly around her waist… she was trapped.

"I'm impressed" Naruto said "That was quite fast I didn't think you would realize so quickly what was happening" He released her with a small cut on her cheek. He wasn't being sarcastic either, he was very impressed with her mental speed maybe she wouldn't be as much of a liability as he had thought. 'Now I just need to get the Anarika thinking like the Huuga, and the Uchiha _thinking_, and then I will have a team worth putting effort into'. He couldn't help thinking of his own training and how much time he could be putting in to becoming stronger… he shook his head, this was more important… ok so maybe not to him but to the old man it was and he was the hokage's loyal ANBU till the day he or the old man died.

"Meet me in training ground forty-four otherwise known as the forest of death in ten minutes I have two idiots to pick up." He hated it when he had to disturb Kakashi from his grieving but they had a mission and he would never let anything come between the final result and himself, even an old friend's pain.

Kakashi was standing and staring at the memorial stone thinking of his teammates and sensei trying to stop the hurt from creeping up on him once again. He knew this feeling was irrational but he just kept coming back.

"I thought I would find you here" Kakashi turned around to find Naruto leaning against a tree watching him.

For a few minutes they just looked at one another finally Naruto spoke up: "You need to let them go friend"

Kakashi turned to look at the stone once again: "How many times have I heard that, How many more times am I _going_ to hear it?" Kakashi groaned.

"I feel like if I move on they will somehow be forgotten, as if they never existed, I learned so much from them and now I can't even repay it." He turned to look at Naruto again.

"The way you can make it up to them is by not wasting the rest of your life in front of this stone. Teach the next generation to be strong so they don't have to go through the same pain as you. That is what we should be doing right now, teaching. Not letting those three genin's die before they reach their prime." Naruto knew he was being harsh but his friend needed to face reality in all of its forms, even the worst forms, pain, suffering and cruelty. He could not lock himself away in a corner of his mind grieving for friends and disrupting important meetings with his lateness because of it.

Kakashi sighed Naruto was right unfortunately, he usually was about other people. It was himself that Naruto had trouble dealing with. Kakashi had been Naruto's friend for a long time and had seen many of his more grim sides. To most he seemed to be in control in all of his senses and emotions always cool as a cucumber, never sad, or frantic, or stupid which is worse for Naruto then others because usually when he was stupid then everyone in the vicinity of his stupidity was hurt very quickly.

"Let's go" Naruto was ready to get back to training his new genins and wanted to see just how dangerous they could become.

"I sent them to the forest of death about ten minutes ago let's see if any of them are still alive since we wasted so much time here." Naruto knew this would get the man's attention.

Kakashi's head whipped up.

"What! You sent them there the Uchiha will die if he goes in there without us! The other two might last longer but… We have to hurry." He started moving in the direction of the training ground. Naruto grabbed his arm in a vise like grip.

"I need to know that while we are training these three genin you will not be late to meetings and training, and you will not come here until they are ready." His voice was steel and ice mixed with no room for argument.

Kakashi sighed and nodded, "Alright, but let's go! The council will have my head if the last Uchiha is killed in our team."

Naruto smirked, "It's alright Kakashi I just sent the two genin serious about becoming shinobi there they will be fine the Anarika has her swords they can hold off whatever attacks them until we get there with the idiot."

Kakashi sighed in relief. Those two girls had sharp wits and knew how to use their weapons better than any of the academy students. For the first time since he stepped into that room with the three genins he felt Naruto's excitement to have a team to train in their image. Shinobi in every sense of the word: Cold but with a sense of humor, no fear of the death that shinobi face on every mission. Strength to overcome the odds shinobi must take on, And most important the will to live. He sighed again only this time in disappointment, this line of thinking was all well and good but now they had a stupid young genin to find.

(The Forest of Death)

They were only about ten feet inside the tree line and Talim was beginning to get nervous, everywhere she looked there was _something _moving. She didn't know what they were all she knew was that they were big and some had more than four legs. She shuddered, wolves, big cats, and other things of that nature she could stand just fine but show her an insect and she would do nearly anything to get as far away from it as possible. The thought of giant bugs in this forest with her was a very disturbing one and she wished she hadn't thought of it.

To take her mind off her terrifying thoughts she started to talk and the only thing to talk to was the stoic Huuga. "So what do you think the test will be? Do you know anything about Uzumaki?"

Hinata looked behind her at her companion. Talim was looking around with an anxious expression on her face. Hinata knew about the giant insects in the forest of death but Talim didn't it seemed. They reached a clearing to their great surprise and delight.

Taking pity on the girl Hinata finally answered her: "No, I don't know anything about him, He's dangerous I can tell that much about him." She shuddered remembering the kunai held too her heart and the feeling of helplessness when he held her from moving. "And all I know about the test is that if we fail we'll get sent back to the academy and that is something I am personally going to avoid at all costs."

Talim thought about this information for a minute and then nodded, "Your right, we need to make sure we do everything right so we don't get sent back."

"A very good idea in fact girls" said a voice from behind them. They whirled around to see… nothing, then suddenly Naruto seeming to step out of a tree about ten feet away, and started toward them, his cloak was billowing around him shifting his form in and out of sight. He stopped when he was a few feet away and said "Your training starts now, this is your last chance to back out, you will never have another" he grinned at them "just so you know, if you decide to stay then you will, eventually, fight me and Kakashi in a three on two fight no holding back you will come at us with the intent to kill or you will die you will have to put us in a situation where we actually have to think, have I made myself clear?" The girls nodded "The Uchiha will be here soon, what is your decision?"

Hinata voted herself the two's spokesperson "We agree, we don't want to be sent back to the academy but one question I know we are not strong enough yet to defeat you if I had any say in what we would do in facing you I would run away. My question is how badly are you going to hurt us?" She knew it was the wrong thing to say the minute she said it and heard him breath a small sigh of delight, he was not going to be gentle with them that was for sure. She started hurting in her bones just thinking what that sound promised.

At that moment Kakashi dropped down and released a struggling bundle on the ground and cut it open. Out popped Sasuke Uchiha looking ready to kill, or be killed and also scared silly. Kakashi sighed "I found him in training ground ten I just wrapped him up and brought him instead of trying to explain.

"Hey! You can't just going around doing that to people, someone could get hurt!" Sasuke was trying his best to recover his pride knowing that he had looked terrified coming out of the sack. Naruto turned to look at him.

"Hurt? or scared master Uchiha?" his voice was a deadly purr "I believe you had quite a scare, believed you were being carried somewhere by an enemy right?" Sasuke nodded, humiliation written on his face. Naruto continued "Don't feel humiliated in the least, there is no better way of getting captives then by getting the drop on them. If that happens again what should you do?" Sasuke knew this was some sort of test.

"I would have a hidden kunai where it is easily accessed and when they dropped the bag over me I would cut through it and escape." He thought for sure he had this question answered perfectly.

"Wrong!" Naruto towered over him. "Let's reenact that scene and see what happens. Without warning he pulled a pack out from under his cloak and grabbed a bag from inside it and threw it over Sasuke.

Sasuke struggled trying to get at a kunai. When he found it he slashed at the bag cutting it wide open and found himself caught between two kunai one at his heart the other at the base of his skull Sasuke stopped moving immediately.

Then came that purr in a whisper "Well, Uchiha? What, would, you, do?" Sasuke gulped.

"I would wait in the bag play dead and when they opened it take them by surprise." He said this hoping desperately that he was correct.

Naruto let him go, as did Kakashi. "Better, much better" Naruto said "From now on do not speak unless you think about what you are about to say." He turned to the girls "Are you ready?"

Hinata nodded for both of them, "So are we going to come at you one at a time or all at once?" Hinata was both scared and excited at the same time. This was going to be the first time they got to see Naruto Uzumaki's fighting style and she was ready to fight.

"You are going to be first followed by Anarika Talim, then you Uchiha." He spoke directly at Sasuke with the last word. "Huuga, if you get one scratch on me then I will take you all out to lunch and you personally may ask me one question of any kind." By the way her eyes widened he knew she wanted to know something about him and he had chosen a correct reward. He turned to Talim, "If you scratch me I will buy you any type of weapon that you want." Talim shook her head.

"I don't want any other weapon then the ones I have I don't intend to get anymore." Naruto shook his head, "No you misunderstand me, you are getting a new weapon because I am going to take away those swords when you get done here, I intend to make you a swords-mistress with every blade possible, unless you want to buy your own weapon then I suggest you try your hardest." He turned to look at Sasuke leaving Talim to gasp at the unfairness of it all.

"You, I will give as much training to as you want for a month I promise that I am stronger than you, I can teach you things you will not get taught here for many more months." Sasuke agreed readily, he needed that training.

"Alright then, Huuga your first" Naruto said. "Remember come at me with the intent to kill… or be killed" he said the last part in such a dark tone that Kakashi began to worry. "Kakashi I don't want either of the other two interrupting."

Kakashi nodded "Alright their all yours today but their mine tomorrow, agreed?" Kakashi would be damned before he let him run the genins into the ground before he had a turn with them. He walked the other two into the woods away from the two combatants.

Naruto growled, irritated, "Agreed, begin Huuga"

Hinata sprang into action activating her bloodline and running toward the motionless figure of Naruto. Naruto on his part stood still and just as she got to him moved two steps to the side and dodged the palm strike. Hinata flew past him and as she flew she felt a hand smack her on her backside, feminine fury rose up and she turned faster than she ever had before to strike… nothing she felt it again a gentle smack to the other side, she whirled ready to tear him apart when she saw metal coming at her she stopped her momentum, barely, and jumped away a kunai where her forehead was. Standing there panting in humiliation and anger she looked at him holding the kunai up with one finger under it, she wouldn't even have hurt herself if she had head-butted the thing, it would have fallen off his finger.

"You didn't look at anything except the gleam of metal which is normally good, but unless you want to die against someone of my caliber you will learn to look before you leap. True not many enemies are going to hold a kunai like this, but remember learning about explosive tags in the academy?" Hinata nodded "Well imagine somebody using this exact same trick only with an explosive tag right where you are standing." She looked down at her feet and saw, that he was right, if someone had planted an explosive tag right here at her feet she would be in a world of pain before she could leap again.

Naruto saw she understood. "Again, and this time use your head, think every move before you make it and if you see have to jump back make several small jumps in different directions. Like this" he leaped back about three feet then jumped diagonally from where he jumped before and then an even further jump to land in a tree above her head.

"That is how you avoid traps. Traps are only useful when your opponent knows how you are going to move before you move. The most dangerous opponent is the unpredictable opponent. Now let's fight!"

Hinata was awed he was so knowledgeable about fighting but he had still hit her behind, she was going to get him for that. She sprang light on her feet as she tried to be unpredictable just as he had told her to be. She fought with all her speed and agility by the end she was panting and had not even seen him move. But she had felt each slap getting faster and harder until her backside was throbbing she felt as if she were ten years old again and her father had just spanked her for disobeying him. She didn't like this at all. He was never there when she went to hit him. But she stuck it out until finally he called a halt.

She leaned over panting and rubbing her sore behind. "Please I know I haven't earned the reward but at least tell me how you were never there." She was tired and irritable.

Naruto nodded at her "You did better than I thought you would do you have made yourself look good by not quitting when my strikes got harder and faster. You have passed with flying colors Hinata." She looked up at him from studying her feet for sores.

"You just called me by my first name." She was happy, she didn't know why but she felt as if she had just passed all of his tests.

"Yes I did and I am now going to answer your question." He took a step towards her and disappeared, reappearing in front of her. Hinata was astonished. "But how?" she said in wonder.

In answer Naruto took off his cloak and threw it a good distance away. "Hinata, come at me one more time just like you did before."

Groaning she got up and rushed at him, her bloodline activated.

She watched as if in slow motion he ducked, twisted, and spun like a dervish around behind her hitting her butt again as he did so. She couldn't stop and turn fast enough to hit him as he spun by her.

They stopped moving, he standing behind her and she, wondering how many more secrets he had besides that cloak. This just made her want that reward more than anything.

"Sit down Hinata you have done well, you will learn to become faster. What did Kakashi say to all of you when he first saw you?" Hinata remembered and grinned in understanding. "Slow in mind and body" she understood what he meant, slow in body because her reflexive reaction could not keep up with such speed as Naruto (and most likely Kakashi) could dish out. And slow in mind because her mind could let her see what was happening but not be able to comprehend how to counter that sight. She sat down (with a wince for her sore backside) with a whole new respect for her two teachers and more then anxious to start training.

Naruto looked at her, smiled, and said "By the way, my reward offer stands until you become chunin and out of my control." He was using that foxy voice, the one that promised pain.

'But rewards as well" she thought 'I need to remember that this man can give out pain but it looks as if he will get me where no one else will. I will get that reward from him if it's the last thing I do as genin.' She looked up at him with a cheeky grin, "I am yours to command for now."

Naruto nodded then turned and in a voice like thunder bellowed "Kakashi! Come back with the Anarika, it's time!"

About two minutes later Kakashi walked out of the trees with Talim in tow. "You bellowed?" he asked dryly. Looking over at the calm Huuga heir he got serious "How did she do" jerking his head at Hinata.

Naruto just stood looking at Talim studying her. When he looked over at who Kakashi was talking about he gave a small nod. Kakashi looked satisfied.

"Good bye Kakashi." Naruto was looking at him now, the silver mask held a menacing quality to it as if it were angry at him personally. Kakashi shivered, and it was gone as if it had never been.

Kakashi turned and strode out of the clearing, feeling as if ice had started crawling up his back. The hokage was right, there was something going on behind that mask that none of them could see.

Naruto started studying Talim again, as if she were a bug that had caught his attention. She squirmed and shifted in front of that unemotional mask. Finally he took one pace forward and she took one back. Suddenly she had her swords out and her face was focused as the wind surrounded her and she began to shimmer in plain view. Naruto just cocked his head and stood still waiting. Talim rushed forward.

Hinata groaned inaudibly knowing what was coming and she closed her eyes waiting for the sound of a smack. She heard nothing, she opened her eyes to find Naruto on the other side of Talim but what was surprising was that Talim was facing him and he was examining a torn sleeve in surprise. Hinata was a mix of envy and awe this girl had just took a piece of cloth from that whirlwind move (as she personally called it). Then she heard Talim begin talking, and slapped her palm to her forehead at the girls stupidity.

"Huh, I guess you're not as fast as you thought you were." She was grinning in a superior kind of way. In reply Naruto stopped examining the slash and looked at her with a silence that was almost a threatening as when he was speaking in his soft voice.

He straitened slowly and made a "come on" motion with two fingers. Talim looking as if she thought this was unnecessary charged him again.

This time Hinata was not disappointed as she heard a loud smack, followed by a high pitched squeal of pain and indignation. She winced in sympathy that smack was a lot sharper than the ones he had given her. 'Although' she thought 'I wasn't looking for it with smart-ass comments either' she had to admit Talim had, had that coming the minute she opened her mouth too gloat.

Talim, her face crimson red and her backside stinging in pain glared at Naruto standing a few feet away. Naruto just tilted his head back and gave a loud snoring sound. Talim grew even more furious and launched herself at her foe. Hinata watched as he did the whirlwind move (only much faster than he had done it to her) and smacked Talim again.

This went on for quite a while until Naruto finally disarmed her with a carefully timed hit to each wrist as she went flying by she cried out and fell on her stomach not moving, her swords a few feet from each hand. Naruto walked up behind her and put a foot where he had been smacking and pressed down. She struggled and hissed at him but he didn't let her up. Finally he began speaking.

"Why did you lose?" His voice was loud enough for Hinata to hear and so she leaned forward and listened knowing that this was probably a lesson for both of them.

Talim, hated, HATED getting beat she knew it was necessary in the academy to make sure she was not the center of attention, but she took out her frustration of getting beat at home in the practice courts. She knew she had a temper, and that it could get the better of her sometimes, but she had never been thrashed like this.

In answer to his question she spat out from her place in the dirt: "Because your faste…" Naruto cut her off with a stomp of his boot to her smarting backside. "Wrong! There is no such excuse, yes; there are faster people than you, out there. But there are for me as well, I have met some who were faster than I. Yet, I stand in front of you unscathed. Do you know why?" Talim shook her head.

"Because I stayed calm and used this up here." He tapped the side of his head. "I lured them, infuriated them, scared them… and then killed them. There is much more to being a shinobi than being strong or fast you must quick-witted. The reason you lost was because you relied on your speed and swords to get you out of any fight. I am surprised by your patience though I was told you grew impatient quickly. You have gained your reward, I was given wrong information. What blade would you like to begin with?"

Talim was speechless as he took off his shirt and showed her a tiny, tiny scratch where she had first cut his shirt, barely even breaking the skin. She then remembered what he wanted and thought about her answer for a few minutes. Finally breaking the silence she said in a small voice.

"I don't know. I've trained all my life with these two." She pointed at the two swords "I wouldn't know what to get now." She looked down not able to meet his eyes.

Naruto looked at her for a minute trying to think of the best possible weapon for her. Finally he had it, "A katana" he said "I will get you a katana that I believe, will be an excellent start.

Talim looked up and thought for a moment, and agreed that she liked the chosen weapon, she got up and walked over to Hinata, who congratulated her on her success.

"I don't deserve it after that idiocy I pulled taunting him." Talim was kicking herself repeatedly for that comment. Hinata smirked, nodding her head in agreement.

"You definitely could have acted better, but at least I'm not the only one with a sore butt." Hinata really was glad that she wasn't the only one that he smacked around it was extremely humiliating. She looked up at Naruto as she spoke and saw him stretching, getting ready for his next student. After what seemed like forever he turned around and called for Kakashi to bring "The Uchiha" a few minutes later the two of them appeared on the edge of the clearing and this time Kakashi didn't go away but sat down and watched the proceedings nodding to Talim as he did.

Sasuke stood in the middle of the clearing facing Naruto, his stance was the basic academy stance taught to everyone. 'Not really surprising' Naruto thought to himself, The Uchiha clan was never known for their taijutsu only their ninjutsu, and whatever style they stole from others. Of course this one hadn't stolen anything, yet.

Naruto took a breath and let it out, "Begin" as he said it Sasuke lunged forward trying for a kick but it never connected, and suddenly he was on his back, facing the sky not knowing how he ended up there. Sasuke got up and looked around to find his quarry. There he was, leaning against a tree apparently at ease ignoring him fiddling with a knife. That made him angry, no one had ignored him since his family's massacre. He was used to getting his way with everything now, from personal training by master shinobi, down to having a meal brought to him every once in a while. It was time to teach this person just who he was dealing with. He grinned and formed the correct hand seals and blew, and then there was a fireball the size of a good sized bush roaring towards the target.

Hinata, and Talim gasped, they had seen chunin make a fireball that big before but never a beginning genin. Naruto just stood there until the fireball was right on top of him and then brought his hand up to meet it. Hinata activated her byakugan and began to stand up, knowing that Naruto was about to show a little more of his abilities he kept quiet about. What she saw froze her in place. His chakra system began to surge and boil, and change color. Until at last it was red and most of it was gathered in his hand. The fireball began to lose its shape and absorb into his hand until there was only a globe in his hand which he quickly hurled back at the young Uchiha. Who understandably jumped back not wanting to get scorched. There was a moment when the two just looked at each other not moving Sasuke was outmatched and he knew it. Naruto knew that he wanted to humiliate the Uchiha somehow so that this test would last. And then, he thought of the perfect humiliation and grinned.

Quickly he lifted his index finger and said in a slow deliberate drawl: "Let me make this a little easier for you I will only fight you with one finger. Each time you increase in skill and power I will let you know by increasing the amount of fingers you are fighting by one." Everyone stared at him wondering if he had suddenly become insane.

Then each of them took on an expression completely different from the other. Kakashi who had looked suspicious and slightly disturbed, now grew still as he finally understood what his friend was doing, and sat back.

Hinata took on a confused feature not understanding what was going on, only that Naruto had just said he would win with one finger. 'I was mistaken, that has to be it' she thought, organizing her mind. Then she caught sight of Naruto still with his finger raised and her mind went blank again.

Talim was wondering just how he would do this. 'He must have a special jutsu that complements that certain fighting style of one finger.' She thought too herself 'That seems the only way to get out of this mess without breaking your word by adding fingers or feet'.

Sasuke had on a murderous expression. He could not believe that he was being treated as a child when he had survived a massacre. He was an Uchiha, he deserved what respect was thrown his way. He would show this man the error of his ways, in humiliating an Uchiha like this. He built himself up angrier and angrier until at last.

He charged.

A/N: I am sorry to all those people who hate late chaptered stories as much as I do but unfortunately I was delayed by certain pressing matters that don't give you any time for fun stuff like this AKA school work and money making work. So, yeah… at least I got it here (at last).


	6. Humiliation

A.N.: Alright, I don't think I'm even going to try and figure out a schedule for updates. Too hard, so ya'll will just have to get them when you get them.

Chapter 5 Humiliation

Sasuke charged as fast as he could, swinging around he brought his foot up too hit his teacher from the left only to curl his foot into his chest and let loose a strong kick into Naruto's… finger.

Naruto had indeed stopped Sasuke's kick with his finger. Hinata was amazed and had to make herself breath from the intensity of it all. This man was on a whole other level from anyone she had ever seen, even her father would have had to use his hand at least to stop that kick. And what was that red chakra?

Talim was just as overwhelmed as Hinata was. She could not believe the strength this man was pouring out. He could have easily beaten her but had underestimated her at first. She watched as he stopped Sasuke at every turn and brought him too an all new fury.

Sasuke himself was livid. He could not believe what was happening. Every time he would punch and kick he was stopped by that damn FINGER! Too himself Sasuke was listing what he did and didn't know about this man, 'I don't know what he's doing, I don't know if he is lying and will use his hands and feet if I push him, I DO know I am going to lose today.' He shook his head He didn't want to be thinking of defeat! As he thought it Naruto took the chance and ducked under Sasuke's guard too tap his finger on Sasuke's throat, just under his adam's apple Naruto pressed slightly and Sasuke stilled.

When Naruto spoke it sounded like ice. "Do you understand our position now Uchiha?" He quickly drew away and started walking back to Kakashi who had been watching in silent amusement. "I Am stronger than you, faster than you, and have trained longer than you. You have passed, though you have not earned your reward. When you make me fight you seriously then you will no longer have to train under me."

"Now then" he said "let's see what you can do against each other."

(A few hours later)

*pant*" how much longer *pant* are we going to be doing this" *pant* Gasped Sasuke after getting hit by Hinata's strike more times than ever before and he rather thought that under Naruto's teaching Hinata was becoming quite sadistic.

Currently he was tied up in front of the two girls and they were taking turns beating him. How this came about? It was his thrice-damned mouth that once again got him into trouble. They had been almost done with they're training and he had been beaten several times by the girls no less when he had to go and open his mouth and tell them that once he got his Sharingan he would never be beaten by any of them.

Naruto had turned to him and asked him if he knew how to awaken the Sharingan He had shook his head at the time thinking he would finally find some more out about his family jutsu but no! He got tripped up tied to a post and now was a punching bag for the two girls and every once in a while for Naruto who he was beginning to think had a grudge against him. All in all he was coughing up blood by the time Naruto told the others to stop. Sasuke watched warily as Naruto approached him. Then Naruto did something that none of them expected.

He kicked Sasuke in the stomach, leaned in close, and asked in a voice that was close to gentle but could also be deadly. "This is how you gain the Sharingan Sasuke, your family must be on the edge of death before they can get such a powerful ability. I can get you there, I have the training to take you to the edge but no further." Kakashi began to interrupt but Naruto held out his hand and he stopped. "As I was saying I can and will get you the Sharingan it is in my interest as your teacher, but you must be willing to endure the pain and have the will to use the power when it calls on you."

Sasuke could not believe his ears, he would have to go through this whole ordeal again if he wanted his Sharingan? Then he had an idea, it hurt just to think about it but it hurt worse inside to think he had to redo the whole last hour of pain. So he looked up at Naruto who was just standing there waiting for his answer with that damn mask on to hide all emotions. "I will submit, but I want it done now since I feel close to death at the moment." As he said these words he thought he heard a growl of approval from inside the mask but wasn't sure. Naruto backed up and said in a voice of cold and silver ice "Girls, Leave, now!" And Sasuke knew that he was about to be in more pain then ever before.

Naruto couldn't help but admire the pup. He had more guts than Naruto had thought. Still it was gonna be interesting from now on, in training to keep the little bugger from trying to copy Jutsu. Silver eyes flashed. He grinned, baring fanged teeth, now for the training to begin.

(_An hour later)_

Kakashi had seen gruesome things from his captain many times. But never had it gone this far. He had started to go and tell the Hokage when he found himself unable to move he was held in place by something invisible. Something he knew his captain was capable of but had never had it used on him. Kakashi looked back up since just his head was free and saw something that he did not like one bit. Naruto was right in front of him he had the mask on but that was not what was disturbing. What was disturbing was the silver glow from the eye sockets and the mask that had curved into a smirk.

"Ah, ah, ah said the mask, can't have you ruin everything that we have set up to do. If you stopped me now, Naruto would not be pleased. Of course he is not exactly pleased with me at the moment either and I assure you I will not come out of this without a scratch or two. But I have one thing that he does not which will make this a whole lot easier for our friend over there." At this the mask pointed over its shoulder at the bloody torn Sasuke. It then said in a deeper voice, "It shall awaken soon, a power so old it was said to be lost with the grey ones." It stalked back to Sasuke and said in a voice of power "**Awaken oh silent one long have you bided your time awaiting I who could rouse you from your tomb of flesh and bone rise now and meet your new master, an Uchiha from the old blood!"**

Sasuke began to twist and turn, writhing in agony. He had remained awake through it all every bone snap and every shard of rock was felt. But this was worse than all before. He screamed through the jacket that he was given to bite on. He felt something deep within him like a beast stirring in the night. It rose up and began to pace. Tearing at him, telling him to let go of the grip on its prison, he didn't let go and as the beast roared out a final time his head snapped up, and opened solid blood red eyes.

A/n: Yeah I know. Very, very short, but it's going haywire around here so hang in there. I will be out of school in May so I will be able to work on the story a lot more and more often.


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